Robots can outrun humans, but can they plug in a cable?

BEIJING - China’s humanoid robots have shown they can run quicker than the fastest humans.

Now comes the real test: can they also handle packaging and warehouse operations while reliably performing precision tasks like connecting cables designed to evaluate their ability to work like humans in less flashy jobs?

The five-day World Humanoid Robot Games, which began on Aug 22 in Beijing, combine events modelled on human sports with those designed to test the robots in simulated factories, restaurants, offices and in emergency situations.

The games, heavily promoted in Chinese state media, feature 51 events, including 30 sports competitions and 21 scenario-based contests.

More than 40 per cent require robots to operate fully autonomously, according to Huawei, a tech partner of the games.

On Aug 22, two robots ran faster than Usain Bolt’s 9.58-second world record in the 100-metre sprint.

That was a sharp improvement from 2025, when the winning robot’s time was more than 20 seconds.

Braking was an issue, as the machines slammed into a thick mat that organisers placed several metres after the finish line.

Another humanoid, the same model as the 100-metre champion, ran 400m in 39.7 seconds, faster than South African Wayde van Niekerk’s world record of 43.03 seconds.

“The intensity is higher than last year, which places significant demands on the robot’s battery management and thermal dissipation capabilities,” said spectator and robotics investor Xu Qiaosheng.

“It holds huge significance for the development of China’s industrial sector.”

Robots will compete in tug-of-war and weightlifting, while tai chi and pitch-pot - in which contestants throw arrow-like sticks into a narrow-necked vase - will give traditional Chinese sports a futuristic twist.

Big tests in small imperfections

Beyond the spectacle, the more revealing tests could come when robots encounter the small imperfections of the physical world: a cable at the wrong angle, an object just out of reach, a shifting package or a missed step.

That tests whether robots can identify objects, accurately position their hands and bodies, apply controlled force and recover from errors without human intervention.

Lumos Robotics Chief Executive Yu Chao said the games could help improve hardware and provide a showcase for the industry.

But Yu said the longer-term value will depend on real-world problem-solving.

“Only when it can work in those end scenarios does it have real value,” Yu said. “Simply running and jumping does not improve efficiency.”

In addition to more familiar events drawn from human sports, robots will compete in EV charging, restaurant work, emergency incident handling and hand-dexterity contests.

There are also industrial assembly and material loading events.

A cable connection challenge is a test of vision, mechanical alignment and force control.

Beijing-based robotics startup Galbot said it would stage an autonomous humanoid tennis match, with robots attempting singles and doubles play, including ball tracking, serving and returning shots.

For Hua Rong, chief marketing officer at robotics firm Zeroth, the real test will come after the demonstrations end.

“The competition will be whether, after the product is sold, it can really solve users’ problems,” she said. REUTERS